As one of seat apparatus for a vehicle, JP2006-123905A (hereinafter, referred to as reference 1) discloses a seat apparatus, in which a seat cushion (seat body) and a seatback (back rest) are folded so as to be retracted to a retracted position (retracted state). The seat apparatus for the vehicle disclosed in the reference 1 includes a link mechanism for moving the seat between the retracted position and a seating position (usable state). The link mechanism includes a first connecting rod, which is hinged to a vehicle floor and to the seatback, and a guiding mechanism, which includes a guide secured to the vehicle floor for guiding a lower portion of the seatback.
According to the reference 1, when being in an initial stage for moving the seat body from the usable state to the retracted state, the guide is arranged perpendicularly to a rotational direction of the first connecting rod. Therefore, when moving the lower portion of the seatback along the guide, large slide resistance is generated. Accordingly, there is a requirement for improving movability of the seatback by providing a roller(s) rotatably moving along the guide, for example, hence leading to an increase in cost.
Further, in the seat apparatus for the vehicle disclosed in the reference 1, the seatback and the seat cushion are moved to the retracted position in association with each other with an aid of the link mechanism. Therefore, when adjusting a reclining angle of the seatback, a position of the seat cushion is also changed and furthermore, a seating posture of an occupant of the seat cushion may be changed in accordance with a change of the position of the seat cushion.
A need thus exists for a seat apparatus for a vehicle which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.